Film: 2470

Animation | 1920 | Silent | B/W

Synopsis:

Felix the cat cartoon.
Felix and man who resembles mad scientist or professor in a room. Man paces around. He is obviously a poor actor and pleads to the heavens for food - "A ham! A ham!! My kingdom for a ham sandwich". He gives up disconsolately. A good line - "I'll have to sacrifice my art and go in the movies". Felix paces up and down. His owner angrily tells him to go out and to get money. Felix leaves looking disgruntled. he asks us "How does he expect me to get money?" and paces up and down doing the Felix Walk. He walks to a shoe shop. An unhappy looking man emerges shaking his head. He hangs up a sign saying "Bankrupt" and bursts into tears. Compassionate Felix strokes his whiskers and tries to think of a way to help. Felix thinks of an idea and tells the man he can sell every shoe in the shop. Man doesn't believe Felix, so Felix whispers in his ear - "Great! Do that and I'll give you 500 dollars!" Felix runs to a chewing gum machine - a vending machine attached to a telegraph pole. He puts in three coins and gets three packs of chewing gum out. He chews gum, pulls out a piece and lays it on the road. A man stands on it and is stuck to the floor. He pulls so hard he falls out of his shoes. He espies the shoe shop and runs to it. Soon the whole town is gummed up by Felix who walks up the street throwing gum around. A long shot of eight men stuck to the floor. Close up of a man's shoes, obviously stuck. Man removes his feet and steps away. In a circular frame we see Felix who laughs. Very long shot of the shoe shop with hordes of men rushing to it. "Sold Out". The shopkeeper and Felix shake hands and the man gives Felix $500. He runs off happily. Felix hands the money to his owner who counts it and puts it behind his back. Felix does a little jig or dance. Felix is told he's not going to Hollywood. Man leaves room and Felix scratches his head. He takes the man's cane from umbrella stand and jumps in the vase, curling his tail to look like a walking stick. Felix is adaptable. Man enters and picks up "cane", but Felix "Meow"s in pain. Ma tries to jump on Felix but lands on his head. He is dazed - stars revolve around his head as he sees stars. Felix shakes his fist at the man in anger, sees the man's travelling bag on the floor, throws it away and replaces it. Man picks "bag" up and walks of, Felix waves happily, whilst disguised as the bag.
California. Los Angeles Railroad Station. Man aims to pick up his bag, but the "handle" (Felix' tail) moves about a lot. Felix re-emerges and walks off. Man surprised, his hat becomes a question mark. Felix runs towards a "Static Studio" in the Hollywood Studios and walks in cat like. Outside the dressing rooms he stands upright (as is usual). He looks through the keyhole of a door with a star on it - a star's dressing room. We see Theda Bara powdering her face. A close up of the excited Felix - "Oh Boy!" Ben Turpin taps on Felix' shoulder, points at his cross eyes and says "That's how I got like this". Close up of Felix doing the same. Felix rubs his eyes and walks off. A man with a cigar and reading a newspaper is sitting in a director's chair. He indicates another man with a job description on his desk "The Boss". This is Will Hays, film censor. Felix acts for the man - he registers sorrow. Close up of crying Felix. Close up of "Joy" - a laughing Felix in close up. Felix detaches his tail to act as a cane and does a Charlie Chaplin impression complete with funny walk. In doing this he bumps into Chaplin himself who accuses Felix of stealing his stuff. [ Quite important this - the two biggest stars of the age are on the screen together ]. Chaplin scares Felix away.
Outside Felix hears a big cry for "HELP" and runs to it. Douglas Fairbanks is tied up and being attacked by three mosquitoes. "Gosh the three musketeers have got him". Felix espies a cowboy - William S. Hart - on his horse. Felix curls his tail round the man's gun in its holster round his waist and runs off with it. As the mosquitoes land on Fairbanks' head, Felix takes aim and shoots the first two off. The gun is empty - "Curses, she's empty". Felix advances on the mosquito who looks daggers at Felix. Felix takes one of these and engages in a sword fight with the mosquito. Felix kills the mosquito - "Saved". The we see a wider shot - the whole scene is being filmed by Cecil B. De Mille and two cameramen. "Great Stuff". They shake hands. "I'll give you one of these long term contracts". Close up of Felix with contract. [Pat Sullivan was trying to renegotiate his contract with Winkler at this time].

To request more details on this film, please contact us quoting Film number 2470.